East Africa Today: An interview with Zitto Kabwe by @SIDEastAfrica

In Episode 14, East Africa Today catches up with Mr. Zitto Kabwe, the Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA) Member of Parliament (MP) representing Kigoma North and Shadow Finance Minister of Tanzania. The last time your host had a conversation with Mr. Kabwe was during the funeral of the late Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi. In the podcast we discuss the current mood in Ethiopia and whether things are still the same or if the political makeup of the country is evolving. Mr. Kabwe then shares his views on the controversial plan to ban live coverage of parliamentary sessions in Tanzania. Though it appears the Clerk of the Tanzanian National Assembly backtracked from this, we examine what these types of mishaps mean for the country. Is the country moving backwards? We also assess the Kenyan presidential debates, how the candidates performed and question whether East Africa has a preferred candidate. On a lighter note we recap the African Cup of Nations 2013 and analyze why Tanzania hasn’t been able to qualify for AFCON or the World Cup.

Mr. Kabwe became engaged with Tanzanian politics at a young age during the early struggles and push for a multiparty democracy in Tanzania. During his tenure in Parliament, Mr. Kabwe has served as the chairman of the Public Organizations Accounts Committee (POAC), which was recently controversially dissolved, where he oversaw 250 state owned companies. Poverty eradication, the extractive industries and governance issues are where Mr. Kabwe’s interests and expertise lie in parliament. He is currently spearheading a campaign against illicit money transfers from African countries to offshore accounts. Las year Mr. Kabwe tabled a private motion in Parliament investigating Tanzanians with illicit money transfers to Swiss Bank accounts and other offshore tax havens.

Mr. Kabwe studied Economics from the University of Dar es Salaam and International Trade from InWent-Trade Africa Programme in Germany as well as Law and Business (MLB) from Bucerius Law School in Hamburg.

Source: SID Africa – which can be found Twitter here and Facebook here.

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